Life raft



Jan. 23, 1945. E. D. TAYLOR 2,367,902

LIFE RAFT Filed May 7, 1943 2 sheets-Sheet 1 Y 36 30 10 INVENTOR.

ATTORN EY.

E. D. TAYLOR Jan. 23, 1945.

L-IFE RAFT 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 7 ATTOR N EY.

Patented Jan. 23, 1945 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to life rafts or barges adapted to be carried onmarine vessels and discharged or released therefrom when the vessel hasbeen damaged or is in a sinking condition.

An" object of the invention is to provide a life raft or barge which isreversible in the sense that the top and bottom of the barge aresubstantially counterparts of eachother. The use of inclined launchingplatforms and release gears therefor for releasing life rafts and thelike is now somewhat conventional. By means of these inclined launchingplatforms the life raft which is normally carried thereby is released bythe release gear and allowed to fall from the vessel into the water,itbeingcontemplated that survivors will jump from the vessel into thewater, swim to the life raft; and board it. By having the life raft orbarge reversible, that is with top and bottom counterparts of eachother, it is immaterial whether the barge lands in the water right sideup or upside down, the uppermost side affording all of the facilitiesthat'the barge provides.

A further object of the invention is to provide a life raft on the topand bottom of which there are cockpits and around which cockpits arearranged decks that afiord seating surfaces for survivors boarding thebarge. The bottom surface of the uppermost cockpit being disposed abovethe normal water line and to provide means for draining the uppermostcockpit thus avoiding any necessity of bailing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a life rat't orbarge having c'ockpits provided at the top and bottomthereof sothatwhichever is uppermost is available and to provide a reservoir forwater and stores between the co'ckpits accessible from either cockpit sothat the reservoir may be opened from whichever cockpit is uppermost.

A further objector the invention is to provide a reversible life raft orbarge wherein certain accessories, suchas oars; masts, booms, sails, acanopy, and strakes therefor are releasably mounted" on the sides of thebarge between the top and bottom thereof so as to be available for useregardless of Whichcockpit is disposed uppermost when the barge isdischarged from the launching platform into the water.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved constructionof life raft or barge with solid decks and sides and" with cockpits onthe topand bottom thereof constructed of a multiplicity of segments oflight porous wood, such as balsa wood, and protected by a water proofouter skin wherein-- each segment of balsa wood is coated withwaterproof glue in the course of the assembly so: that should anysegment become damaged or punctured such segment while it may becomewater-logged will not affect remaining unpunctured segments" whichretain the original buoyancy;

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be mademanifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointedout in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawingsfor an illustrative embodiment of the invention; wherein;

Figure 1' is a view in side elevationv of a life raft-0r bargeembodying'the present invention illustrating itin floating position andas, having.

its canopy erected: thereon, thecanopy being, illustrated in dottedlines Fig. 2 is a toll plan viewof the barge; the-canopy being shown as?having been removed;

Fig. 3 is a- View in vertical section taken substantially upon the line3-3 upon Fig. 1 in the direction indicated; illustrating the manner inwhich the strakes: of. the canopy are erected;

Fig. 4- is-a view in frontelevation of the barge illustrating two mastsand sails as having been erected thereon; and

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the barge inthe conditionillustrated in Fig. 4.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar referencecharacters designate similar parts throughout, the improvedlife raft orbarge is made up of a plurality of individual segment or pieces oflight, porous, highly buoyant wood indicated at I'll. Balsa wood. ispreferable for this purpose although other similar highly buoyant woodmaybe employed.

In making up the body of the barge each of the segments has waterproofglue applied thereto and is assembled together with other segmentsfollowing which the lue is allowed to set and dry. Usually the glue is.applied to opposed faces of adjoining segments and: when it dries itforms. a. water-resistant coating around. each segment; The sides and"decks are-preferably covered with a layerof Waterproof plywood formingan additional exterior protection.

As is indicated on Fig. 3, it is preferable to arrange the segments: insuch a. manner that some segments will have their grain extendinglongitudinall'y or horizontally and other segments will have their grainru'nning transversely or vertically. I

The body of the barge is so formed ast'o' be reversible. That is, it hasa flat top'and' bottom within which there is formed upper and lowercockpits H and I2. In the preferred form of construction the exteriorsurface of the barge as well as the interior of each of the cockpits isfaced with waterproof plywood indicated at l3,

As will be observed from a comparison of Figs. 1 and 2, the top andbottom of the barge are preferably rectangular in shape and the cockpitsare likewise preferably rectangular in shape, whereas the sides arepreferably in the form of a parallelogram. With this arrangement it willbe appreciated that the body of the barge is symmetrical in mostrespects about a horizontal central plane. Consequently, when the bargeembodying the present invention is released from a launching platform ona vessel and is allowed to drop into the water, it is immaterial whichside of the barge is uppermost when the barge lands on the water. Forexample, if cockpit H is uppermost, this cockpit may be used bysurvivors. On the other hand, if during the launching the barge shouldbe turned so that cockpit I2 is uppermost, then this cockpit may be usedby survivors.

Vertical tie bolts I l having ring or eye heads extend through the bargefrom top to bottom thereof and assist in holding the body of the bargetogether. Similarly, transverse tie bolts I5 may extend transverselythrough the barge through the floor or partition l6 that separates thecockpits. Corners of the body of the barge may be provided by somewhatheavier wood, such as for example oak, and facing pieces I! and I8 whichextend fore and aft at the edges of the barge may be formed of wood,such as Douglas fir. The facing pieces I! and I8 that extend fore andaft project slightly beyond transverse bow and stern facing pieces [8and i9 so that the edges of the facing pieces may serve as runners insupporting the barge on the rails of the launching platform and thefacing pieces l8 and l 9 will not hinder release of the barge therefrom.

A rub rail 2?! also extends longitudinally of the barge on each sidethereof at the approximate water line. Such rub rail may be formed ofany durable wood, such as for example oak. In the partition 16 thatseparates the two compartments Hand l2, there is provided a reservoir 21preferably divided into a plurality of compartments. One compartment maybe filled with fresh water. Another compartment may be filled with food,and the third compartment with other necessities, such as for example,rockets. Each compartment is equipped with a closure, the closures beingindicated at 22 at the top as well as at the bottom of the compartmentso that regardless of the position assumed by the barge when launched,access to the compartments is available from that cockpit which happensto be uppermost.

A drain pipe 23 leads from each compartment through the body of thebarge to the end thereof, such drain pipe may be controlled by a seacock or plug 26. This enables draining of the uppermost compartmentshould it become filled or partially filled with water. Inasmuch as thebottom of the uppermost compartment is above the water line, bailing ofthe uppermost compartment is unnecessary. Normally, these sea cocks areleft open and an additional advantage is gained thereby. If the bargehappens to land when launched with the lower cockpit l2 lowermost, itwill be appreciated that a certain volume of air is entrapped therein.This air being compressible to a certain extent tends to cushion thefall of the barge onto the water, the air escaping through the lowermostdrain pipe 23. Thus, while there is an initial cushioning effect, theair is allowed to escape allowing the barge to sink in the water to thedesired depth reducing danger of overturning. If desired scupperopenings may be formed through the face pieces I! and It! to also allowor provide for the escape of air.

A life line 24 which may be equipped with fioats 25 may be secured atspaced intervals along the rub rail to facilitate survivors climbingonto the raft. On the sides of the raft immediately above the rub railthere are releasably secured oars 26, masts and booms, and the strakes21 of a canopy. The sails and the canopy may also be folded and storedat this locality. Straps or ties 28 may maintain these accessories atthis location. Oarlocks 29 may be permanently attached adjacent thefacings I! and (8 such as by chains or cords and sockets are formed inthese facings to receive the oarlocks. Sockets 3!] are also formed inthe facings to receive the lower ends of the strakes 2'! which are inthe form of bendable hickory rods adapted to be connected together overthe center of the raft such as by a sleeve 3|. The canopy 32 which maybe formed of canvas is cut so as to suitably fit over the strakes tocompletely cover the top of the barge in the event of bad weather. Atthe forward end of whichever surface or deck happens to be uppermostthere is hingedly secured a splash board 33 which may be swung upwardlyand braced as by a brace 34. Cords or ropes 35 may connect the forwardportion or hood of the canopy to the splash board. Sockets 36 arearranged adjacent the forward corners of the barge in which may bestrapped masts 31 on which may be mounted the booms 38. The sails 39 arepreferably attached to the masts and booms, such as by lacing, andbackstays 40 may connect the masts with the eye or rings of the rear tiebolts l4.

Inasmuch as the barge is symmetrical with respect to a centralhorizontal plane, it will be appreciated that when discharge into thewater from the launching platform it is immaterial which side of thebarge is uppermost. Survivors may swim to the barge, grasp the life line24, and pull themselves into the upper cockpit surrounding which thereis the top surface or deck which affords an adequate seating area. Theequipment fastened onto the sides of the barge as by the ties or straps28, can be removed and released and taken into the barge and depositedin the uppermost cockpit regardless of which cockpit is uppermost onlaunching.

Water and food are available through the closures 22 which happen to beuppermost and in the event of bad Weather the strakes 21 and the canopymay be erected. In the event of good weather and a favorable breeze, thecanopy may be taken down and the masts and sails erected.

While no attempt is made to, design the barge to be readily maneuverablewhile under sail, it will move quite readily in running before the wind.If the barge is constructed in approximately the proportions illustratedwith the area of the top deck approximately 10 6" x '7' and the heightof the barge from deck to deck 36", I find that the barge is capable ofseating twentytwo persons with approximately 14" freeboard, thusaffording dry seats and a dry upper cockpit. As indicated upon thedrawings the reservoir 2! preferably extends above and below thepartition 16 some considerable distance, thus providing adequateinterior space and also providing of the barge seats for passengers orsurvivors in addition to the deck space. Preferably the watercompartment has a large closure or deck plate 22a and a smaller closure22?) arranged adjacent the upper corner thereof when the barge ismounted in an inclined position on the conventional release gear. Thesmall closure on the upper side can be removed periodically to permit ofwater inspection from time to time and the corresponding small closureon the underside of the barge can be removed when occasion requires todrain the water compartment and permit its being refilled, it beingunderstood that the closure on the under side corresponding to theclosure 22b would be located at or near the bottom of the watercompartment when the barge is supported in an inclined position on therelease gear.

It will be noted that the raft or barge herein disclosed has identicaltop and bottom construction with parallelogram sides with solid, deckand side, cockpits arranged on the top and bottom.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A life raft composed of upright and horizontal sections of scaledbalsa wood, cockpits formed in the raft on the top and bottom thereofand tie rods extending through the sections of balsa wood transverselyof the raft. in front of and behind said cockpits.

2. A life raft composed of upright and longitudinally extendinghorizontal sections ofbalsa wood, a plywood covering on the exteriorsurface of the raft, cockpits formed in the top and bottom surfaces ofthe raft, and tie rods extending across the raft before and behind eachof the cockpits.

3. Alife raft composed of upright and longitudinally extendinghorizontal sections of balsa wood, a plywood covering on the exteriorsurface of the raft, cockpits formed in the top and bottom surfaces ofthe raft, and tie rods extending across the raft before and behind eachof the cockpits, vertical tie rods extending from top to bottom of theraft at the sides of the cockpits.

E. D. TAYLOR.

